Apparatus for treating sewage.



No. 634,425. Patented Oct. 3, I899. D. CAMERON, F. J. CUMMIN & A. J. MARTIN.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

(Application filed Kay 2, 1898.)

2 SheetsSheet (No Model.)

THE Noam: mrrzas ca, wow-gum. WASHINGTON, u. c.

No. 634.425. Patented Oct. 3, I899. D. CAMERON, F. J. COMMIN &. A. J. MARTIN.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

(Application filed May 2, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

iNo Model.)

IIIIIIIII/ THE NORRIS Pm'zns co, wowumu wxsnnmrom n. c.

NITED STATES PATENT DONALD CAMERON, FREDERICK J. GOMMIN, AND ARTHUR J. MARTIN, OF EXETER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,425, dated October 3, 1899. Application filed May 2,1898- Serial No. 679,522. (No model.)

To a whont it may concern/w Be it known that we, DONALD- CAMERON, FREDERICK JAMES COMMIN, and ARTHUR JOHN MARTIN, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Exeter, in the county of Devon, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for theTreatment of Sewage or other Liquids, (for which we have made applications for Letters Patent in Great Britain, bearing No. 22,965, dated October 6, 1897, and No. 5,671, dated March 8, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the delivery of liquid to chambers or receptacles and its discharge therefrom and is applicable to various processes and operations. Such apparatus has, however, been specially designed for the delivery of sewage to and its discharge from filters, in connection with which it will be hereinafter described.

\Ve will now proceed to describe our invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating an arran gement which we may employ for the purpose of rendering the period during which sewage remains in a filter variable at will and independent of the time occupied in filling 0 another filter. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the cooks and connections of two of the filters used in this arrangement. 3 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 51 a plan view, showing the buckets for actuating the difierent valves mounted on the valve-rods. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 a plan View, illustrating an arrangement in which a single bucket, instead of a pair of same, is employed, such bucket being carried by the lever which also carries the valve-rods.

The object of the arrangementof apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings is to render the period during which sewage remains in a filter variable at will and 5 independent of the time occupied in filling anotherfilter. It also facilitates the operations of cutting a filter out of the working set and of again throwing it into work as desired.

In Fig. 1 it will be seen that four filters 1 5o 2 3 4 are employed in the set, each being connected by conduits 1, 2, 3, and 1 with the main supply 5, leading from a septic tank or other source from which the liquid to be filtered is delivered, valves 1, 2", 3 and at being provided by which a passage may be opened through such conduits to the filters 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The filters are also connected by conduits 1, 2, 3, and l with discharge-wells 1, 2, 3, and i, from which the liquid escapes when the valves 1, 2, 3, and 4: are lifted. The supply and discharge valves for each filter are carried by levers mounted on a shaft 0, and in order that each filter may be filled and emptied independently the valves controlling the supply to each filter and the discharge therefrom are actuated by an independent pair of actuatingbuckets 7 and 8, also carried by such shaft 6. The bucket 8, whose descent causes the filter to be filled, is filled by the overflow of another filter which has already been filled, and the other bucket 7, the descent of which causes the filter to be discharged, is filled by the overflow of the same filter which it discharges.

The time which elapses between the filling of a filterand its discharge is governed by the rate of filling of the actuating-bucket 7 and may be varied at will by means of a regulating-cock on the pipe 9 supplying the bucket, as shown at 10 in Fig. 2, orby a removable nozzle having an aperture of the requsite size, as shown at 11 in Fig. 2.

It is essential that the flow of liquid be diverted to another filter before the filter which was last filled is discharged. Since both operations are effected by the overflow from one filter, the pipe 9 conveying such overflow must be branched, as shown in Fig. 2, one branch 9 supplying the actuating-bucket S of the filter to be filled, and the other branch 9 supplying the bucket 7, discharging the filter from which the overflow is derived. The former branch 9" should be of ample size and may discharge at a somewhat lower level than the branch 9, so as to insure its coming into operation first. It will be advisable to place a valve 12 on this branch 9", such valve 12 being, if desired, of the form of a pivoted disk, normally closing the end of the pipe and provided with a tail 13 (see Fig. 2) with which the bar or rod 14 on bucket 8 will come in contact on such bucket being raised, thereby opening a passage for the liquid through the branch 9 to the bucket. As soon as the bucket is filled it will descend, and the valve will then close by its own weight, and the overflow will then pass along the branch 9 and in duel course fill the bucket 7, which will then fall, and so dlscharge the lilter from which the overflow proceeds. In order that any filter may be cut out of and thrown into the workl ing set at will, all these branches I)" of the overflow-pipes which convey liquid for causing the filters to be filled are connected into a continuous ring, having branches discharging over the buckets S to be supplied there- I from. A three-way cock 15 is placed at the l junction of each branch with the main ring, by means of which the flow in the ring to this point may be sent either into the branch or l farther along the ring, according as the filter into whose bucket the branch discharges is in use or not. The cutting out and throwing in of the filter will be completely effected by turning this cock. l One of the objects of this part of the inven- 1 tion is to enable a filter to be cut out or thrown into work at any time instead of waiting for a particular stage in the cycle of operations. To this end it is necessary that it the filter to be cut out is being filled at the time the cutting outshall not prevent the diversion of the liquid into the nextfilteror the discharge of the filter cut out, but shall prevent any subsequent filling of the latter. Therefore while the connection from the main ring to the actuating-bucket of this filter is absolutely closed by means of the three-way cock 15 the branch overflow-pipe from the filter to the ring is left open, so that the filter when full may overflow into the ring; but the return of the liquid from the ring to the filter (or its discharge-well) is prevented by a checkvalve 16 on the branch overflow-pipe. It will thus be seen that, referring to Fig. 1, assuming filter 1 to be just filled and ready to discharge and filter at being cut outof the working set the overflow from the well 1 of filter 1 will pass along the branch 9" of the J overflow-pipe 9, and the three-waycock 15 of filter 4 being turned to carry such overflow l past the filling bucket S of filter such overflow will pass on to the cook 15 of filter 3, through which it will pass into the bucket 8 until the latter falls, thus opening the valve I 3, so that liquid may pass to filter 3 through I conduit 3", the discharge-valve 5 of such filter 3 being at the same time closed. As soon as the overflow from filter 1 is prevented from passing to bucket 8 of filter 3 it will pass along the branch 0 to the bucket 7 of lilter l, and filling such bucket the latter will be depressed, thereby closing the supply-valve 1" l of filter 1 and opening the discharge-valve 1, so that such filter 1 will at once begin to disl charge. Similarly when filter 3 is filled its bucket 8 of filter 2, which will be depressed,

overflow will pass along branch 9 to the] and so open the supply-valve and close the discharge-valve of such filter 2, and as soon as this has been effected the overflow by passing along branch 9 will depress bucket 7 of filter 3 and so discharge the latter.

If it should be desired to cut out a filter from the working set when it is filling, its three-way cock 15 will be turned, and this will not prevent its being discharged in the usual way by its own overflow or the passage of part of such overflow to the filling bucket of the next filter in the series, but any flow from the ring formed by the branches 9" of the overflow-pipes will be prevented by the checkvalve 1t. 1

Instead of, as shown in Fig. 1, mounting the buckets by which the ditferent valves are actuated on a frame carried by a shaft, such buckets 7 and 8 may, as shown in Figs. 3and 4, be carried by the valve-rods 17, connecting the lever 18 with the valves. In these figures the filters l and 2 receive their supply of liquid through valves 1 and 2" and conduits or passages l and 2 and are discharged through conduits 1* and 2 from dischargewells 1 and 2 by means of valves 1 and 2. If, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, only two filters are used, it will only be necessary for the purpose of actuating the valves to connect the two discharge-wells l and 2 by means of a single overflow-pipe 19. This being the case and the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 3 it will be seen that on the liquid from the filter l rising in discharge-well 1 to the level of the overflow-pipe 1!) some of such liquid will pass through such pipe into the bucket S, which is then in its raised position. This bucket will thus be depressed, and the positions of the valves 1" and 2" and 1- and 2 will be reversed, so that filter 1 will be discharged and filter 2 opened to supply.

In other cases the lever to which the valve rods are connected may be continued beyond them on one side or on both sides to receive the bucket or buckets, the leverage of which will thus be increased. In this case the buckets, if two are used, will be suspended in chambers connected with the discharge-wells. The buckets may be filled with water overflowing from a filter which has just been filled; but it is obviously not material whether the water which enters the bucket be derived from a filter or whether it be caused to flow from some other source into the bucket, provided that such flow be caused by the filling of one of the filters to the desired height.

The descending bucket need not be emptied immediately, but the water may remain there in to hold the buckets and valves in their new position. When the lower bucket is again raised by the descent of that on the other side of the shaft, the weight of its contents will be neutralized by the water from the filter,which will then surround it. This water falling as the discharge proceeds will bring into action a siphon 20, connected with the bucket,whereby the contents of the latter will escape. In siphon from coming into order to prevent this action when the bucket is first filled, the top of the siphon will be above that of the bucket, so that no water can possibly overflow through it at that time; but when the filter fills the filtered effluent rising inthe descending leg of the siphon will displace the air therein through a small air-valve 20, thus charging the siphon, which will come into action as soon as the water in the chamber is drawn off.

In some cases-as, for example, when the valves of a single filter only are carried by each shafta single bucket may be used instead of two. This arrangement is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which it will be seen that the bucket 7 is placed on that side of the shaft 6 opposite to the discharge-valve 1, which will be opened by it. The rate of filling of the bucket from well 1 through the pipe 9 may be regulated, if so desired. The descent of the bucket will cause the discharge of the filter and the closing of its supply-valve 1 which, as shown, is carried by the lever 25,011 which the bucket and also the dischargevalve are mounted. The reversal of this motion will be brought about by the overflow from another filter passing through pipe 9 into the chamber 2l,in which the bucket 7 is hung, the water surrounding the bucket neutralizing the weight of that in the bucket, which will ascend, the weight of the moving parts being so adjusted that the dischargevalve 1 will fall onto its seat. As soon as the chamber 21 is full its contents will be released, which may be effected either by a valve connected with the lever carrying the bucket or, as shown, by a siphon 22, preferably the latter. The bucket will be emptied at the same time, preferably by a siphon 20, brought into action as already described.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, valves for controlling the supply and discharge of each receptacle, separate buckets for actuating said valves,the bucket which controls the supply receiving the overflow from another receptacle,and the bucket which controls the discharge being filled by the overflow from the receptacle whichit discharges.

2. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, supply and discharge valves for each receptacle, buckets for actuating said valves, and means for supplying liquid from each receptacle to one of the buckets connected the rewith and to one of the buckets connected with another receptacle.

3. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, supply and discharge valves for each receptacle, buckets for actuating said valves, and overflow-pipes for supplying liquid from each receptacle to one of the buckets connected therewith and to one of the buckets connected with another receptacle.

4. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, supply and discharge valves for each receptacle, buckets for actuating said valves, and means for supplying liquid to one of the buckets connected therewith, and means for supplying liquid to one of thebuckets connected with another receptacle, the latter means being adapted to act before the former to insure the filling of its bucket before the discharge of the filled receptacle.

5. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, supply and discharge valves for each receptacle, buckets for actuatingsaid valves, and an overflow-pipe connected with said receptacle, said pipe having a branch leading to the bucket operatingthe discharge-valves of said receptacle, and another branch of larger diameter leading to the bucket actuating the supply-valves of another receptacle.

6. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, supply and discharge valves for each receptacle, buckets for actuating said valves, an overflow-pipe connected with said receptacle, said pipe being provided with a branch leading to the bucket operating the discharge valve of said receptacle, and another branch disposed on a lower level than the first branch and leading to the bucket which actuates the supply-valve of another receptacle whereby the said supply-valve comes into operation before the discharge-valve of the receptacle from which the overflow is derived.

7. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, supply and discharge valves for each receptacle, buckets for actuating said valves, an overflow-pipe connected with said receptacle, said pipe being provided with a branch leading to the bucket operating the dischargevalve of said receptacle, and another branch leading-to the bucket actuating the supplyvalve of another receptacle, and means disposed on said last-mentioned branch operated by the rise of the bucket for opening said branch and bringing it into operation.

8. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, supply and discharge valves for each receptacle, buckets for actuating said valves, an overflow-pipe connected with said receptacle, said pipe being provided with a branch leading to the bucket operating the dischargevalve of said receptacle, and another branch leading to the bucket for actuating the supply-valve of another receptacle, said lastmentioned pipe being provided with a valve having a tail adapted to come into contact with the bucket on the rise thereof, thereby opening a passage for the liquid through said branch to the bucket.

9. The combination of a receptacle which is alternately filled and discharged, a bucket for receiving the liquid for effecting the discharge thereof, and means for controlling the flow of liquid into said bucket thereby regulatin g the time required for filling the bucket and for discharging the receptacle.

10. The combination of a receptacle which is alternately filled and discharged, a bucket for receiving liquid for effecting the discharge thereof, an overflow-pipe leading from said receptacle to said bucket, and having an aperture for controlling the flow of liquid into said bucket thereby regulating the time required for filling the'bucket for discharging the receptacle.

11. The combination of a receptacle which is alternately filled and discharged, a bucket for receiving liquid foreifect-ing the discharge thereof, an overflow-pipe leading from said receptacle, to said bucket and having an aperture for controlling the flow into said bucket thereby regulating the time required for filling the bucket, and means for varying the size of the aperture.

12. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, each of said receptacles being provided with apparatus for effecting the supply and discharge thereof, a series of overflowpipes connected respectively to the various receptacles, the overflow-pipe from one receptacle serving to convey liquid for operating the supply apparatus for another receptacle and for conveying liquid to the discharge-operating apparatus of the receptacle from which it is derived, whereby the several receptacles are filled and discharged in rotation.

13. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, a continuous ring of overflow-pipes, branches leading from said receptacles to said ring, means for cutting one or more of said receptacles out of operation, and means for preventing the liquid from passing back from the ring into the receptacle cut out.

14. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, separate supply and discharge apparatus for each receptacle, a series of overflow-pipes for conveying liquid for operating said apparatus, valves disposed in said pipes for cutting the receptacle to which said apparatus belongs out of the working set, and cocks whereby said overflow may be directed past the receptacle so cut out to operate the apparatus of another receptacle.

15. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, separate supply and discharge apparatus for each receptacle, a series of overflow-pipes for conveying liquid for operating said apparatus, valves or cocks for cutting out a receptacle or receptacles, a check valve or valves on the overflow pipe or pipes of the receptacles so cut out whereby the passage of the overflow liquid back into such receptacle or receptacles is prevented without interfering with the overflow therefrom.

1(3. The combination of two receptacles which are alternately filled and discharged, buckets for receiving liquid for effecting said filling or discharge, and a common overflowpipe through which liquid may pass from each receptacle in turn into the opposite bucket.

17. The combination of a plurality of receptacles, a lever having valves disposed thereon for regulating the supply and discharge of each of said receptacles, and a bucket or buckets suspended from said lever for receiving the overflow from said receptacles, thereby controlling the valves.

18. The combination of a plurality of re ceptacles, a bucket adapted to receive liquid for effecting the supply and discharge to one of said receptacles, and a siphon for emptying said bucket, said siphon being brought into action by the successive rise and fall of liquid in the space surrounding the bucket.

19. The combination of a receptacle, a bucket adapted to receive liquid for effecting the supply and discharge of said receptacle, a siphon for emptying said bucket, said siphon having an opening therein whereby air may escape so as to admit liquid for charging the siphon.

20. The combination of a receptacle, valves for effecting the supply and discharge from said receptacle, a bucket for operating said valves, pipes or passages for conveying liquid to fill said bucket and the space surrounding it, a siphon for emptying said bucket, and means for emptying the space surrounding said bucket.

DONALD CAMERON. FRED. J. OOMMIN. ARTHUR J. MARTIN. \Vituesscs:

WILLIAM H. BOWERS, RICHARD W. CLARKE. 

